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Looking at Overbay's numbers the last couple years, he looks like he could give similar production to Vernon Wells. Makes sense by the theory that if you get enough replacement level type guys, one of them is likely to give you a season approximating league average. (Unfortunately, this often results in giving a couple hundred at bats to guys having really bad seasons looking for the cubic zirconium in the rough)

Gotta love seeing ex-Jays going over to the dark side at the tail end of their careers. Positives for a Jays fan - odds are they won't help the Yanks, and if they do at least it is guys we like doing it.

Overbay has had an OPS+ of 110+ just once since 2006, last two years had an 89 over 571 PA. That isn't too useful at first base no matter how good his defense is. His bWAR has been under 1 per year since he left the Jays, in fact has been negative both years. Yeah, this is fun to watch.

I remember when a guy like Lyle Overbay signing with the Pirates was a sure sign that his career would have no further stops. Well, the Pirates have moved up in the world, because he's signed with the Dbacks, Braves, Red Sox, and Yankees since then.

Why wouldn't the Brewers have signed Overbay to play 1st instead of Betancourt? Overbay is a former Brewer too if that was their main criteria (as it appears to have been). Plus, he was a guy the fans actually liked.

Why wouldn't the Brewers have signed Overbay to play 1st instead of Betancourt? Overbay is a former Brewer too if that was their main criteria (as it appears to have been). Plus, he was a guy the fans actually liked.

I'd guess that Overbay would've taken the Yankees over the Brewers, if he was offered contracts by both. He's got more of a shot and significant MLB time in New York. Corey Hart is due back around May 1, I think, while Teixeira may be back in late May and may be out all year. So Overbay in Milwaukee only gets a month or so, but if he makes the team he might get a full year in New York.

Maybe, but Yuni got a major league deal while Overbay only got a minor league one. That makes it seem like Yuni was valued more highly, although you could be correct in assuming that Overbay felt Teixeira would be out longer than Hart and made his choice based on that.

I don't think that twitter report can be right... I mean, he just got essentially released by Philly (technically, refused minor league assignment) -- so I think someone is having a bit of fun at cheeseland's expense.

I think that was the plan unless someone like Mesa blew them away in the spring...he filled in there as the backup last season before Gardner was re-activated. When/if Granderson is healthy, the cf depth chart is him, gardner, ichiro...only reason anyone else gets in the mix is if someone else does other things well (namely hit lefties well enough to be in the lineup as a platoon player.)

I think I'd rather see Mustillier than rivera since he can stand in all 4 corners and probably handle second in an emergency, but the difference in the short side of a DH platoon for the early part of the season probably doesn't amount to too much. OF seems OK (not anyone's idea of good, but OK) but I'm more concerned with the infield - what little I've seen of Youk at this spring has just reinforced my opinion that he is not a 3B....don't know what else they could do, but getting him across the diamond to 1st would be a very good move (whether he hits enough to justify that is another open question) - combine that with Nunez's D at short...and there is a decent chance that 1/2 the infield are defensive liabilities (along with 3/4 being potential offensive liabilities - Youk should be OK - but in this line up he is a middle of the order type, not just a place-holder - that's a problem.

I'm not normally a sky is falling type of fan - but if this team has any issues on the pitching side, it could be a very long year.

and two second after I typed this, I'm 99 % sure that I said the exact opposite in the winter - that the pitching was more of an Achilles heel than the offense...the difference a few months and a few injuries can make.

Keep in mind that Opening Day they're facing a lefty in Jon Lester, so its probably Rivera and Wells, possibly Nix as well, getting starts. I also expect Wells will play more than a strict platoon with Boesch would dictate. Rivera may start against some RHP too, though I'd expect Overbay to get more starts than Boesch.

I had suspected the Lyle Overbay was one of the Dante Bichette All-Stars, a player who put up pretty good superficial stats but who under the hood had provided no actual value, but according to BB-REF he has some such 14 WAR for his career. Not bad.

Keep in mind that Opening Day they're facing a lefty in Jon Lester, so its probably Rivera and Wells, possibly Nix as well, getting starts. I also expect Wells will play more than a strict platoon with Boesch would dictate. Rivera may start against some RHP too, though I'd expect Overbay to get more starts than Boesch.

I would agree with all of that, though I think the shine will wear off of rivera more quickly than wells.....if overbay looks good defensively, I could also envision them giving him the start virtually every day as opposed to a platoon...and that might actually be for the best if the upshot is getting juan rivera or jayson nix (who i like, just not starting more than once every week or two) more at bats.

You know, if the Yankees want to complete the set of ex-Jays who play toward the sluggish side of the defensive spectrum and don't hit much these days, I'm sure they could have Adam Lind for a decent A-ball prospect.

You know, if the Yankees want to complete the set of ex-Jays who play toward the sluggish side of the defensive spectrum and don't hit much these days, I'm sure they could have Adam Lind for a decent A-ball prospect.

Wouldn't that actually be an upgrade over at least Rivera and Overbay on the roster?